South Africa’s Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has announced the formation of an emergency industry-government task team to tackle the worsening foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak affecting five provinces.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Steenhuisen said the task team is expected to coordinate efforts between government and the red meat industry to improve disease prevention, management and enforcement.
“This task team will ensure better coordination, enforcement, and accountability in tackling animal disease outbreaks,” Steenhuisen said, adding that the move follows a strategic meeting in July with the Agricultural Research Council where experts warned that weak biosecurity and poor enforcement were fuelling the crisis.
South Africa is currently battling 274 unresolved FMD outbreaks in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Free State, North West and Mpumalanga provinces.
KwaZulu-Natal remains the epicentre, with 180 active cases spreading westward into municipalities such as Dundee, Dannhauser and Newcastle.
The virus is believed to have spread from KwaZulu-Natal to other provinces via livestock auctions and unregulated animal movements.
Steenhuisen confirmed that 900,000 vaccine doses worth R72 million have been procured from the Botswana Vaccine Institute.
The first 500,000 doses were administered in June, and the remaining 400,000 arrived last week, with 50,000 already distributed to high-risk areas.
The minister urged farmers to comply with biosecurity protocols and report suspected cases immediately.
“Reports of farmers moving cattle showing clinical signs of the disease, or treating them privately without reporting, are deeply concerning and irresponsible. These actions not only contravene legal directives but risk entrenching FMD as endemic in South Africa,” he said.
The outbreak has affected all cattle farming systems, including commercial beef herds, feedlots, dairy operations and communal farms.
Industry leaders have expressed concern over the economic toll, with restrictions on livestock movement and trade threatening livelihoods and export ambitions.
JN/APA